The present invention relates to improvements in golf bags. More specifically, it relates to mechanisms for supporting golf bags in an upright position using a ground spike.
The typical golf bag is generally a long cylinder with a collar at the top and a collar at the bottom. The lower collar includes a base that seals the bottom, except for a plurality of drain holes. A flexible material forms the sides and may contain one or more compartments for storage. A golf bag is usually large enough and sturdy enough to contain a full compliment of fourteen clubs plus golfing gear such as golf balls, golf tees, a golf shoe cleat wrench, perhaps also an umbrella and a jacket.
The weight of a golf bag with golf equipment can be significant. Given the length of golf courses and the weight of a golf bag, many golfers choose to use golf carts or golf carriers. Many other golfers, however, prefer to exercise by walking the course and carrying a golf bag.
However, when a golfer prepares to hit a golf ball, the carried golf bag is placed on the ground. When the ball has been hit, the bag is picked up. For a typical golfer, the stooping and lifting takes place approximately one hundred times in an 18 hole round of golf. Furthermore, the ground can frequently be muddy or wet with dew. The carried bag can become wet or muddied from being laid on the ground and will transfer moisture and mud to the clothes of the golfer carrying the bag.
To eliminate the problems associated with laying a golf bag down while the golfer prepares to hit a golf ball, many attempts have been made to develop a golf bag that will stand upright when unattended. The typical approach is to fit the bag with a retractable spike. Sometimes these spiking mechanisms are backfitted to the exterior of an existing bag and sometimes they are mounted to the interior of a bag. Springs have been included in such apparatuses to retract the spike. Examples of previous attempts at golf bag support systems include U.S. Pat. No. 1,741,057 issued to Howe, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,826,216 and 2,045,147 issued to H. T. Johnson, Schwer's U.S. Pat. No. 1,926,184, Agnew's spiked carrier disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,091,298, Marsh's foot operated spike in U.S. Pat. No. 2,633,317, springless spikes in Cantwell's U.S. Pat. No. 3,435,866 and Benzel's U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,795, exterior spikes in Downing's U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,152 and Perduhn's U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,884.
Many of the above referenced inventions are attached to the outside of a standard bag where they can work loose, they can scratch and tear the exterior of a golf bag and some do not harmonize with the appearance of a modern, full size standard golf bag.
Many are expensive to fabricate and have insufficient support to maintain the alignment of the spike with the bag.
It is important in the sport of golf to recognize the environment where the sport takes place. A golfer does not want to have soiled clothes or to carry a golf bag having a heavy, clumsy, conspicuous device of any kind. Furthermore, a golf bag support apparatus must be light-weight, easy-to-use, reliable and a natural part of the golf bag. Furthermore, given the cost of playing golf and the financial investment in golfing equipment, the incremental cost of the support apparatus must be minimal.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a light weight apparatus for supporting an unattended golf bag in the upright position. It is an object of the present invention to provide longitudinal support for a golf bag generally by a central, internal means thus eliminating the need for peripheral, longitudinal support. It is an object of the present invention for the apparatus to be reliable, sturdy, easy to use and inexpensive to manufacture.
It is a further object of the present invention to allow the golf bag to be adjustable so that changes in the tension of the flexible sides of the bag, due to such causes as temperature changes, can be accommodated easily.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide for the full retraction of the spike upon lifting the bag clear of the ground.
It is a still further object of the invention to permit the removal of the spike so that the golf bag may fit in a standard golf bag shipping carton and so that the spike may be easily replaced if worn or bent.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an inconspicuous mechanism for golf bag support.
These and other objects of the invention will become obvious to a person skilled in the art of golf bag support apparatus and from a fair reading of the following description of the present invention and the claims.